Plaice

Pleuronectes platessa

Appearance: Very similar in appearance to the flounder, the plaice is encountered only occasionally in the sea around Finland. Grows slightly larger than the flounder, even in the Baltic, but plaice captured in Finland’s sea areas have not been especially big. The skin is smooth. Unlike the flounder, there are no rows of bony tubercles above and below the lateral line. Plaice have 4-7 bony knobs behind the eye. Fins more rounded than those of the flounder. Anal fin has a minimum of 49 rays, that of the flounder normally between 35 and 46.

Colouring: Plaice have rusty red spots on the dark upper side, but this is not a reliable means of identification as flounders often have similar spots.

Reproduction: Spawning takes place in mid-winter. The closest spawning grounds are in deep water around the Danish island of Bornholm, where the salt content reaches the required 1.2-1.3%.

Food: Benthic invertebrates, especially shellfish, as well as small fish.

Distribution and habitat: Occurs mainly in the southern Baltic. Found only occasionally in Finnish waters, with only seven reliable recordings. The best chances of finding plaice are in the sea off Finland’s SW coast.